FINAL RECAP --
Bradley is headed back to the NCAA Men's Golf Championship for the first time since 1955 after winning the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference men's golf title with a three-round 298-289-296--883, outdistancing runner-up finisher Southern Illinois by 15 strokes on the par-72, 7,323-yard layout at Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau, Mo.
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The victory marks Bradley's second team title this spring, while the Braves have finished in the Top 6 in eight of 10 events this year.
Before today, the Braves had never earned an MVC title in men's golf, finishing as high as second place three times (most recently in 1986). Southern Illinois' second-place showing (307-299-292--898) marks the second time in the past three years the Salukis have finished first (2016) or second. Drake, meanwhile, carded the team low of the tournament Tuesday with a one-under-par 287 to finish third (304-310-287--901). The third-place finish by the Bulldogs is its best since 2006 (2nd that year). The team leaderboard was rounded out by a fourth-place tie from Illinois State and Missouri State (both teams shot a 905.)
The Braves had the top three individual spots in the field, as Drake Bushong earned medalist honors with a three-round 76-69-72--217, followed by teammates Ethan Brue (220) and Michael Mounce (220) who tied for second. The top five was rounded out by Southern Illinois' Luke Gannon and Drake's Drew Ison who tied for fourth with three-round scores of 221. Ison was one of five student-athletes to break par during the championship as he fired a tourney-low 68 on Tuesday. The medalist honor marked the fourth all-time in Bradley history (first since 1986). And it also marks the first time since 2013 in which one team had the top-three spots in the field.
All-Conference Team
Ethan Brue, Bradley
Zach Burry, Illinois State
Drake Bushong, Bradley
Drew Ison, Drake
Adam Fisher, Missouri State
Luke Gannon, Southern Illinois
Jack Knoesel, Missouri State
Michael Mounce, Bradley
David Perkins, Illinois State
Peyton Wilhoit, Southern Illinois
Elite 17 Award - Michael Mounce, Bradley
Newcomer of the Year -- David Rauer, Illinois State
Golfer of the Year -- Peyton Wilhoit, Southern Illinois
Coach of the Year -- Jeff Roche, Bradley
DAY ONE RECAP (MONDAY, 36 HOLES)
After 36 holes, Bradley leads the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Golf Championship with a commanding 19-stroke advantage over pre-championship favorite Illinois State and Southern Illinois, who are tied for second. The Braves fired a two-round team total of 298-289--587 on the par-72, 7,323-yard layout at Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau, Mo., on Monday, April 23.
Teams will play the final 18 holes of the championship on Tuesday, April 24, beginning with tee times (off No. 1 and No. 10) at 8 am CT.
After the Braves, the next five teams in the 36-hole MVC standings are tightly bunched. Illinois State and Southern Illinois both carded two-round totals of 606. Missouri State is five strokes back at 611, while Valparaiso (613) and Drake (614) are also right there.
Bradley has never won a team title in MVC men's golf, finishing as high as second place twice (1984 and 1986). The Braves finished seventh (of nine teams) last season.
Notably, the Braves have had three individual MVC Championship medalists in their history (in 1951, 1984 and 1986). This year's club has the top 3 spots heading into tomorrow's final round. Bradley's Drake Bushong leads the field after firing a three-under 69 in Monday's second 18. He has a 76-69--145 through 36 holes. His teammates Michael Mounce (72-74--146) and Ethan Brue (74-73--147) are in second and third place, respectively, on the individual leaderboard.
Southern Illinois also has three individuals in the Top 10 in the medalist hunt. Luke Gannon is fourth at 148, while Dirk Kuehler (t5th-149) and Hunter York (t5th-149) are one stroke back. Illinois State has a pair of golfers in the Top 10, including David Rauer (t5th-149 and David Perkins (t8th-150).
The day featured just a pair of eagles, carded by Bradley's Matthew Specht and Missouri State's Korey Franks. Franks was one of 10 golfers to have as many as 10 birdies while Bradley's Bushong and Mounce led the field with 28 total pars. The easiest two holes in today's action were the par-4 370-yard No. 6 (which yielded 14 birdies) and the par-5, 560-yard No. 15 (12 birdies). The toughest-playing holes were both on the back nine (par-4, 440-yard No. 10 and the par-4, 476-yard No. 17).
There was rain at the beginning of play on Monday and rain at the end, but for most of the 36-hole day the rain kept away with temps in the 60s. Notably the wind, which approached 20 mph at the start of play, died down throughout the day. Tuesday's weather calls for temperatures in the mid 60s with periodic rain showers.
PREVIEW STORY
The 2018 Missouri Valley Conference men's golf championship will take place Monday-Tuesday, April 23-24, at Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Teams will play 36 holes on Monday and conclude with 18 holes on Tuesday.
Coaches have tabbed Illinois State (81 total points) as the unanimous favorite to win this year's men's golf title. Southern Illinois, Missouri State and Bradley have been slated as the biggest challengers to Illinois State, picked second thru fourth, respectively, in the coaches pre-championship poll.
Illinois State enters the MVC Championship as the league's top-rated program in the GolfStat team rankings while three Redbirds rank among the MVC's top 12 players in stroke average this year, including Zach Burry, David Perkins and two-time defending MVC champ Trent Wallace. Newcomer David Rauer is also among the league's top golfers, sporting a stroke average of 73.88 through 33 rounds.
SIU is led by Peyton Wilhoit, who sports the league's top stroke average (71.81), and junior Luke Gannon (74.48). Wilhoit has the league's best individual 18-hole round (66) and has two tournament wins to his credit.
Bradley's Ethan Brue also has two tournament medalist trophies and has a top-10 stroke average in the league (73.00). Evansville's Tyler Gray could be a factor at the championship as he leads the Aces with a 72.67 stroke average. A quartet of Missouri State golfers are among the tops in the MVC in stroke average including Adam Fisher (71.93), Jack Knoesel (72.00), Kory Franks (72.83) and Brad Carpenter (73.15).
During the season, the league sported five team titles, while MVC golfers combined to take home nine medalist honors during 2017-18. Of current members, Illinois State (5), Drake (5), Missouri State (1) and Southern Illinois (1) own previous league titles in men's golf.
DALHOUSIE GOLF CLUB
Since opening in 2002, the remarkable Dalhousie Golf Club boasts one of the top 200 private golf courses in the United States and top three private golf courses in the state of Missouri. Nestled on a beautiful 1,000-acre tract of land in historic Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Dalhousie is located on the banks of the Mississippi River, just two hours south of St. Louis. Dalhousie exceeds your expectations in every area. More than a golf outing, Dalhousie is an exquisite experience. The club's name and history go back almost as far as the game of golf.
The par-72 Nicklaus designed course sits on land originally settled in 1798 by Scottish immigrant Rebecca Ramsey, sister of the Earl of Dalhousie. The original antebellum mansion emulating the Scotland's famous Dalhousie castle skirts the course. Inspired by the classic Scottish-style manor houses of old, the 20,853 square-foot clubhouse, The Dalhousie Manor, blends Old World charm and elegance with contemporary amenities.
2017 REVIEW
The 2017 Missouri Valley Conference men's golf championship took place April 24-25 at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club (Course #4) in Lemont, Ill. Wichita State earned its 21st all-time MVC men’s golf title (more than any other school) and the Shockers represented the MVC in the NCAA Regionals. Brad Carpenter of Missouri State earned the league’s Elite 18 Award – he’s the first golfer from MSU to do so (3.934 in Finance). Ethan Brue of Bradley earned the MVC Newcomer of the Year honor – the first Bradley golfer to do so.
Medalist Trent Wallace of Illinois State became the 12th in MVC history to earn conference medalist honors 2 times (the then-sophomore also won in 2016). Wallace, who qualified for the NCAAs as an individual, saw his historic season come to a heartbreaking end in the third round of the NCAA Division I Championship at the par-72, 7,735-yard Rich Harvest Farms. He fired a 1-under-par 71 (37-34) in that round, including a stellar 2-under-par 34 on the back nine. He finished the three rounds in a tie for 44th place out of 156 student-athletes and did better than 36 nationally-ranked participants, as he finished with an even-par 216 (73-72-71). Wallace became the first MVC individual qualifer to reach the NCAA Finals since 2005.